Roar Rookie
Joined August 2014
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Captain as a kid, lagger as a teenager, injured as an adult. Tahs supporter and armchair referee.
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Eddie Jones' transition into being a whinging Pom is coming along swimmingly, but has he yet heard of Coventry? Much has been said of…
Everyone knows about the All Blacks' record at Eden Park over the past decades. I was strangely optimistic, but I really should not have…
Thanks for the article, good read.
I agree with the commenters that the scrum improvement should continue but clearly the purpose of the article is that the Tahs should maintain focus on quick ball in the back line, which I also wholeheartedly agree with.
Why the Tahs should forget about the scrum
Couldn’t agree more! I have some pommie mates who were lamenting the second consecutive tournament loss by points differential, to which I replied, “Should probably look at scoring some more f’n tries!”
The other point which is definitely prevalent in Super Rugby is that early on, you notice teams who have the same number of wins as you, but are sitting 2 or 3 points higher on the table. Keep up the kicking game and you find yourself a full 4 point win behind.
Adding bonus points could revolutionise the Six Nations
Hi Wii, what I’m going to give you here is my opinion, though I like to think it’s very difficult to argue with:
In the Tahs/Crusaders final, there was a questionable call and an outright wrong call. The outright wrong call came in the 43rd minute when Nadolo’s foot hit the line before he grounded the ball. They allowed the try (and subsequent conversion) which completely shifted the momentum of the game and allow the Crusaders back into the contest. I would argue that it wouldn’t have even been a close finish if this try was correctly disallowed, but ultimately yes, remove the three points from (Foley) the Tahs, but also remove seven from the Crusaders.
The laws were re-interpreted to encourage less “Jake-ball” and more scrap at the breakdown. This results in more split second decisions being required from refs. You want to ref to back himself rather than be jittery with self doubt.
There’s no taint on the Tahs win. Each team had a decision go against them and the Crusaders benefitted from that 7/3, and the Tahs still won, with an at-the-death 47m pressure kick you could only dream of witnessing live.
Why I should have hated attending the Eden Park Test, but didn't
Trolls are a scourge on the wide forum that is the internet unfortunately. People getting pissed off at their inflammatory remarks is what keeps them going so I ignore them as best I can.
Why I should have hated attending the Eden Park Test, but didn't
Hi James, that’s a really good observation about the exposure Kiwis have to Aussie television. It does not happen in reverse, not even a little bit. We all know (and LOVE) Flight of the Conchords but that’s it. Similar to England being “The Old Enemy”, we are brought up to identify Kiwis as that little cousin you rip on every chance you get. Spend a little time around Kiwis and you realise that you’ve got a lot to celebrate together (like I did on my first snow trip as a teenager).
But that’s really what this article was about; attitude. I have no doubts that the crowd would have turned on me if I’d been belligerent and negative. I think all of us from both sides want to be mates, but have also had a gutful of negative trash-talk and are ready to stand up for ourselves.
So without being too philosophical about it, I tried to “be the change” I wanted to see in the Aussie rugby crowd. By being positive about the Wallabies despite defeat, and being positive about New Zealanders, it has brought a torrent of goodwill and camaraderie from both sides in the comments. So I’m always going to try to lead with a handshake rather than a “chup” reference.
Why I should have hated attending the Eden Park Test, but didn't
Haha, yeah the spilling tray of mids was a poorly explained snipe at ANZ Stadium and SFS. There’s a lot more I wanted to say about that aspect of Eden Park but was conscious of my word count (and thanks to the editor for posting the whole thing! Aaaand to everyone for reading it all!).
But the beer situation at Eden Park was light years ahead of Sydney. $30 (NZD) for a 4-pack of full strength Steinlager stubbies, in plastic bottles held together with a carry-friendly slip of cardboard. Very impressed.
Why I should have hated attending the Eden Park Test, but didn't
Will have to look into it! But yes, these NZ woollies are awesome. =)
Why I should have hated attending the Eden Park Test, but didn't
Thanks moaman, and to EVERYONE for the feedback. This is my first post so I was a little worried that this article would go unnoticed. I’m overwhelmed and I think it really is a representation of how infectious positivity can be.
Why I should have hated attending the Eden Park Test, but didn't
Hi taylorman,
Thanks for sharing that article. Very powerful look at the other side of the coin, and remarkable strength of character.
I was discussing State Of Origin the other day and how I object to the notion that it’s considered boring without several fistfights. The conversation also mentioned the dwindling crowd numbers in League when they banned the shoulder charge or the “big hits”, where people had their jaws hit with swinging arms.
I’ll make it clear that my story in no way advocates foul play. We are all familiar with the fire that the Reds and Brumbies bring to the table when they play against the Waratahs. These games are characterised by a bit of mongrel but almost always while respecting the rules as well.
In any case, thanks again.
Wallabies must tell 'em with their shoulders